Bicycle-support



(No Model.) v

' A. J. BRANHAM.

BICYCLE SUPPORT No. 570,659. Patented 'Nov. 3, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFlCE.

ALVIN J. BRANHAM, or SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI.

BICYCLE-8U PPO RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,659, dated November 3, 1896.

Application filed November 11, 1895. $erial No. 568,583. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN J. BRANHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Greene and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycle-Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices designed for supporting bicycles; and it has for its 0bjeots, among others, to provide a simple and cheap device that can be readily attached to any form of bicycle and which will serve not only to hold the bicycle upright when desired, but which will be an aid to beginners in learning to ride.

By the use of my improved device a person can learn to ride in a very short time even on a slightly-uneven road or street, and that without the necessity of a teacher. It can be readily raised or lowered, as may be required.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claim.-

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle, showing my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a View of the attachment removed and shown on an enlarged scale, the same being distended. Fig. 3 is a like view with the support closed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a bicycle of known construction, and A the front fork thereof.

B and B are two blocks that are designed to be secured to this front fork or rod in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by clamps or set-screws, so that they may be removed with case when desired. These blocks may be independent of each other, or they may be connected by a thin strip'of metal, as shown at b. The upper block is designed to serve simply as a catch, but the lower block is bored vertically to permit of the vertical movement of the shaft or rod D therethrough. This shaft or rod is mountedfor free movement through the opening in this lower block, and to its lower end it has pivoted, as upon a pivot f, the prongs or legs F, between which is arranged a spring G, which serves to force the said prongs or legs apart, which spring of course acts to thus separate the legs only when the rod or shaft is pushed down, so that the prongs or legs are below the block. The upper portion of this shaft or rod carries a flattened spring portion H, as shown, which is designed to engage beneath the upper block to hold the shaft or rod down and to engage upon the upper face of said block to hold the rod or shaft in its uppermost position.

The operation will be readily understood. Normally the shaft or rod is held upand the prongs are drawn together and thus held within the lower block, but when itis desired to support the bicycle in an upright position the upper end of the rod is drawn out, as indicated in Fig. 3 by dotted lines, so as to dis engage the spring from the upper block, and

then the same is pushed downward, and as soon as the legs or prongs are disengaged from the lower block their spring forces them outward, as shown. When the device is to be used for beginners, the lower ends of the legs or prongs should be provided with rollers I or their equivalents, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

The legs of the fork are preferably of spring material, so as to allow them to yield in turning.

What is claimed as new is- The combination with a bicycle, of blocks secured to the rear fork thereof one above rod, all substantially as herein shown and delo scribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALVIN J. BRANI-IAM. Witnesses:

O. M. HEADLEY, E. P. YOUNG. 

